From Tigit Jon’s perspective –
Vietnam may be known for its coastline. But unfortunately, extreme trash problems and over development from a tourist standpoint has ruined a lot of the coastline. In my opinion, come to Vietnam for the mountains, not the coast! There are fewer tourists in the inland areas and the locals are warmer and un-spoiled too.
- Chronic Trash problems throughout the country at naturally stunning locations.
- Restaurants are unable to deliver what you order. It will always be a lottery. I recommend carrying paper and pen and writing for the waiter. They will still get it wrong somehow 🙂
- Mattresses in cheap hotels are usually uncomfortably hard.
- After a long and hard day of driving, to be welcomed by the hotel with no greeting other than. “PASSPORT”.
The least pleasant experiences were the hard beds in the nha nghi, the 100% foreigner surcharge that I often had to pay, and traffic in Saigon. It’s really crazy there.
The worst in Vietnam:
Place 3: not sure
Place 2: mainly in the most touristy places, the sellers are going to cheat you. Beginning from the sugar-cane-juice aside the road until the restaurants where they use to have two printed Menue. The local one and the one for foreigners with 100% of surcharge.
Place 1: Honking traffic. Honking everywhere without any sense, at any time in any situation. Everyone honking. It’s a nightmare!
I really disliked the noise in the street. Cars honk at you for, apparently, no reason. Cafes blast music any time of the day. Construction occurs without warning. I was woken by more jackhammers in a few weeks in Vietnam than my entire lifetime before coming here. It’s not all bad, people laughing and partying with the most wonderful smiles you’ve ever seen are common too.